In the prior art it has become common to use tapes, ribbons or strips, usually of some sort of highly flexible resinous material, between elevated support positions to block passage of pedestrians or vehicles from a work area or other areas where hazards may exist. Commonly the tape material is brightly colored, frequently yellow or orange, and may additionally have some sort of cautionary message printed on the tape in contrasting colors, such as black. Frequently the word "caution" is repeated along the ribbon, for example. Thus, when the ribbon or tape serves as a barrier, the bright color aids in seeing it more readily, and the written message emphasizes that it is there to warn people not to enter the area beyond or to proceed cautiously. This type of tape or ribbon has become very popular because it is easy to handle and can be tied between existing structure and/or to posts temporarily installed.
The problem with this type of barrier is that it frequently looks not unlike temporary fencing so that people who are not being as observant as they might may miss the significance of the barrier.
An alternative more noticeable type of barrier in the past has been rope or narrow tape to which pennants have been sewn or otherwise secured. Such barriers may be more effective, but they are also more expensive to make and use. Since they are expensive, they may be saved for reuse after a job and may be awkward to store.